We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’an so that hopefully you will use your intellect.” In order to think. That is what Allah wants. For people to think deeply.

“We tell you the best of stories in revealing this Qur’an to you, even though you were unaware of it before it came.”

What are the stories regarding the Prophet Joseph (pbuh)? The truth. We see they have been changed in some other places. But what does Allah say here? “The best of stories.” The full truth. “…even though you were unaware of it before it came.” Secret knowledge. Allah gives him [our Prophet (pbuh)] secret knowledge. Our Prophet (pbuh) does not know. But Allah tells him the exact truth of the life of the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). “When Joseph told his father, ‘Father’!”Look, he calls him Father. “I saw 11 bright stars,” that means there is something about the number 11. “…and the sun and moon as well. I saw them all prostrate in front of me’.”Another form of revelation. Allah reveals future events to him, but Almighty Allah describes it in circuitous language. His father said, “My son, don’t tell your brothers your dream.”What does Bediuzzaman say? “May everything you say be true, but do not tell the truth to everyone everywhere.” It may be true, but there is no reason you have to tell people. “…lest they devise some scheme to injure you.” Meaning he has to behave with hidden knowledge. That means he has to behave cleverly. One should not loudly proclaim everything that is true. Only at the right time and place. One can tell the truth when the requisite maturity has appeared. “Satan is a clear-cut enemy to man." Allah is saying that he is an enemy to Muslims. "Accordingly your Lord will pick you out.” Look, "Accordingly your Lord will pick you out.” He will elevate you. “…and teach you the true meaning of events,”look, there is revelation here, too. Things that will definitely happen. “…and perfectly fulfil His blessing on you as well as on the family of Jacob as He fulfilled it perfectly before upon your forebears, Abraham and Isaac.”In other words, the people of Israel and the children of the Prophet Ishmael (pbuh). “Most certainly your Lord is Knowing, Wise.”What is the indication here? The people of Israel will live according to a deep faith. They will fully adopt the spirit of Islam and the Qur’an, and Islam will rule the world. “In Joseph and his brothers there are Signs for every one of those who wants to ask.”

For those who ask, but not for those who are not interested. For those who are interested. For those who think deeply, insha’Allah. “When they declared, ‘Why! Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are...”They are jealous of that love. You can see that some people are jealous of the love shown to me in this century, can’t you? “…although we constitute a powerful group.” We are a stronger community. “Our father is clearly making a mistake." Look, they can even become so desperate as to accuse a prophet. The diseased, false spirit can do that. Look. “Our father is clearly making a mistake." The hypocrites behaved in the same way toward our Prophet (pbuh). It makes no difference to them. Look at the excesses of the hypocrite; "Kill Joseph,” he says. Look at the solution these people come up with! That savage, ruthless, fascist mindset, that cruelty that stems from a failure to live by the religion. That sadistic mindset. We can currently see that sadism and ruthlessness in many places in the Islamic world. “…or expel him to some land so that your father will look to you alone.” Either kill or imprison him. Why? People are crazed with jealousy. What outcome does that jealousy want? It wants him to be imprisoned or killed. One or the other. They want to martyr him. “…and then you can be people who do right” it says. If you neutralize him, you can replace him. Now why does the extremist mindset that attacks Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) in the End Times want this? So that they can come to the fore instead. They want to push themselves forward. They want to elevate themselves. If Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is in the front, then they must necessarily be behind. So what are they to do? They need to eliminate the way of the Mahdi. And those who prepare the way for Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). What do they do? They attack Bediuzzaman. What do they do? They attack Sayyid Salih Ozcan. They attack our brother Sungur. And what do they do? They attack me. Because we all prepare the ground for the way of the Mahdi. “…and then you can be people who do right." In other words, you can be a pure, select, good Muslim community with piety. What do you want in particular?” they ask. “You can be one of the faithful, select communities if you oppose the way of the Mahdi and neutralize Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh),” they say. Those who do not want to be pious themselves imagine they can make themselves select by eliminating good people who are pious. This is satanic behavior.

“One of them said, ‘Do not take Joseph’s life but throw him to the bottom of the well, so that some travellers may discover him, if this is something that you have to do’.”

“One of them…” that very likely refers to Hazrat Khidr (pbuh). Look; “Do not take Joseph’s life but throw him to the bottom of the well, so that some travellers may discover him.”That requires revelation. How could he know a passing caravan would pick him up? Only through revelation. We can see from this that Hazrat Khidr (pbuh) is involved, insha’Allah. Because this is just one of Hazrat Khidr’s (pbuh) methods. What would the Prophet Moses (pbuh) say if he saw it? He might have said, “Why did you throw that sweet child into the well? Did you wish to kill him?” That is what the logic suggests. Or someone else might also have said that. “…some travellers may discover him.” Knowing this and having direct knowledge that he would be pulled out by a passing caravan is a property of Hazrat Khidr (pbuh).

“(After reaching that decision) They said, ‘Our Father! What is wrong with you that you refuse to trust us with Joseph when in truth we only wish him well’?”

They refuse to show respect, with a hypocritical spirit, even though he is a prophet. “What is wrong with you?” Look at that language! The hypocrites used that kind of crude language against our Prophet (pbuh). I am not saying they were hypocrites, of course, but their language was hypocritical. “… you refuse to trust is with Joseph…” He must have his reasons for not trusting them. Of course the prophet does not trust them. “…when in truth we only wish him well." That means you must not believe what hypocrites say. “We wish him well…” that is a fabrication. You wish him harm. "Why don’t you send him out with us tomorrow so he can enjoy himself and play about?”Look, they are pretending to do good. “All of us will make sure that he is safe." That means one must not trust what such wrongdoing people say. They may use deceitful language. One must be on one’s guard. “He said, ‘It grieves me to let him go with you I fear a wolf might come and eat him up while you are heedless, not attending him’.”

For one thing we must not grieve, this is a lapse by the prophet. “…while you are heedless,” look how he shows the way on two points. One must never reveal a weakness. A Muslim must never let a weakness show. Because hypocrites and unbelievers will take advantage of it. He reveals two weaknesses. He says, “while you are heedless,” one. “I fear a wolf might come and eat him up,” two. He shows them two paths, two weak points. “They said, ‘If a wolf does come and eat him up when together we make up a powerful group...”Really, hypocrites may squabble among themselves, but they watch out for one another. I am not saying that community is hypocritical, but it has a hypocritical character. “…in that case we would truly be in loss!”That is out of the question. We will neither do nor permit such a thing. The reference to the wolf is highly significant. He could have referred to many other animals, but he referred to a wolf. There are many savage animals. He could have said a snake, or a bear, or a hyena, or a scorpion. They would all be dangerous for a child.

“But when, in fact, they did go out with him and gathered all together and agreed to put him at the bottom of the well,...” see how they act in an organized manner. “…and agreed to put him at the bottom of the well,” they all decided together. “We then revealed to him that,” he received revelation, from Allah. "You will inform them of this deed they perpetrate at a time when they are totally unaware.”

In other words, they will not be aware of you. Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will not be detected either, but he will reveal them what they have done. Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will expose all the immorality of the hypocrites, those with no character and the generally base and immoral. For instance, he will expose all their lack of character one by one, saying, “you did this wrong thing and you behaved badly in such and such a way.” That is what the Qur’an is referring to. “That night they came back to their father in tears,”why did they choose the evening? Because that is when everyone has gone to bed, when it is dark and everything is quiet, and so no search could be made. Their father could not say, “Go and look for him,” because it was dark. That is why they chose the evening. People choose the evenings to commit treachery. They carry out their attacks in the dark. Because state officials had all gone home. But everything is busy during the day. They were weeping. Hypocrites and frauds always speak through tears in order to impress people. There is this public weakness, that when they see someone weeping they always imagine he is in the right. That is why those who wish to be thought of as in the right generally resort to tears. To gain public support. The more they cry, the more support they gain. Almighty Allah says this is a hypocritical tactic. Of course, this is not an immutable law. There may be exceptional cases in which people genuinely weep out of emotion. But generally it is a hypocritical tactic.

“…saying, ‘Father, we went out to run a race...” They invented a terrible tale. This comes out in every hypocrite. They invent a terrible scenario. “…and left Joseph together with our things,”They provide details to lend their story credibility. Hypocrites and frauds always provide details. “This and that happened,” to make it sound credible. Naïve people will believe it if you provide lots of fine detail. “…and then a wolf appeared and ate him up…” What did their father say? “I fear a wolf might come and eat him up.” “…while you are heedless.” What do they say? “…we went out to run a race…” so we heard nothing. Look how they attack those two weak spots. They think he will fall for those two weak spots. Because he let his weakness show. And they go for those weak spots. “Even if we tell the truth you won’t believe it." This is another hypocrite tactic. “You would never believe it.” People like that swear whatever it is, is true. “You would never believe it,” they say. They begin by saying, “May Allah convince you that…” But he does not believe. “They then produced his shirt with false blood on it.”That means they will meddle with Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) with false evidence and documents in the End Times. They will interfere with Muslims. That is what Almighty Allah is indicating. False documents may be produced. "He said, ‘It is merely that your lower selves have suggested something to you which you did;”Look, since he is a prophet he immediately realizes the kind of fraud being perpetrated. “…but beauty lies in showing steadfastness,”the moral fortitude of the prophet. “It is Allah alone Who is my Help in face of the event that you describe.”Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will know the liars. This is a special ability.It is given to prophets by revelation, and will also be inspired in him.

“It is Allah alone Who is my Help in face of the event that you describe.”

He says they are lying all over. “Some travellers came that way and then dispatched their water-drawer who let his bucket down [to draw water].”Why a bucket? Because that refers to the age of Aquarius, which we are in now. The age of the way of the Mahdi. "Good news!... I’ve found a boy,” he says. What does our Prophet (pbuh) say? “Hear the glad tidings of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)”, “a boy.” Because even in old age, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will look like a young man. “They then [pulled him out of the well and] hid him away among their goods.”In other words, they regarded him as unimportant. He was not appreciated at first. They will also regard Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) as unimportant and fail to recognize him. “Allah knew very well what they were doing.”

Almighty Allah says that destiny was working. “They sold him for a pittance, a few small coins,” they failed to appreciate him and regarded him as of little value. They will also fail to appreciate Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). “…considering him to be of little worth..”They fill consider Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) to be of little worth, at first. “The Egyptian who had bought him told his wife, ‘Look after him with honour and respect. It’s possible he will be of use to us or perhaps we might adopt him as a son’.” Pharaoh does the same thing, being unaware. He protects him, not knowing he is the person who will bring the entire system down.

“And thus We established Joseph in the land to teach him the true meaning of events.”He explains in the most excellent way. That is a most excellent analysis. “However, most of mankind do not know.”

Allah does whatever He wishes, but most people are unaware of that. They are heedless. “And then when he became a full-grown man, We gave him knowledge and right judgement too.” Allah teaches him what He has made lawful and unlawful and bestows very special knowledge on him. “That is how We reward all doers of good.”

“The woman whose house it was…” The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) lived in the same house as her. He spoke with the woman. You know how they talk about someone “not being in contact with a woman”? But he lived in the same house as her. In other words, she was not lawful for him. They lived in the same house. “The woman whose house it was solicited him,”she wanted to have relations with him. “She barred the doors and said, ‘Come over here’!” The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) had become very attractive. So that the woman was no longer able to restrain herself. But she had spoken with the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) before. But for some time she had been affected by his attractiveness, beauty, impressiveness, looks, behavior, state of mind, morals, body, cleanliness and everything. And eventually she went wild and said she wanted him. “Come over here!” She is quite open about it. But the Prophet Joseph (pbuh) says, “Allah is my refuge.” He says they can talk, but not enter into sexual relations. Because the woman wants sexual relations. “He is My lord and has been good to me with where I live. Those who do wrong will surely not succeed’.”“I will not engage in relations with you,” he says. “She wanted him.” Prophets are incredibly attractive. All prophets are very handsome and impressive. Allah creates them so women will like them. “and he would have wanted her, had he not seen the Clear Proof of his Lord.”The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) also wanted her. One cannot want another person without seeing them first. He saw her and felt a sexual desire for her. “That happened so We might avert from him all evil and lust. He was Our chosen servant.”

“He was our chosen servant.” He declined sexual relations. Allah strengthened his heart and inspired him, so he refused relations. But he saw and spoke to the woman, and even desired her. “They raced to the door.” The woman’s desire has now reached insane proportions. She is that affected by the Prophet Joseph’s (pbuh) beauty and attractiveness. And she is an arrogant woman, the wife of the sultan of Egypt. But she still goes crazy. They race for the door together. The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) is in front, with her behind him. She tries to catch the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). “She tore his shirt at the back.” She was so crazed by lust that she grabbed onto his short and tore it. Of course she did that in trying to catch him. “They met her husband by the door.” Allah brought them together at that exact moment. “She said…” Look, she is driven crazy by lust but is also lacking in moral conscience. Because loving for Allah is one thing, and loving for lust is something very different. "How should a man whose intention was to harm your family be punished for what he did except with prison or painful punishment?”It was not him doing it, but her. Look, “A man whose intention was to harm your family…” She slanders him. We can see from this that slanders of a sexual nature will also be uttered against Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), by women. They may use a prostitute. They may use loose women. Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will be falsely accused of adultery in this way. Or maybe he will be accused of attempted rape or something like that. “…with prison…” Look, she wants him to be imprisoned. That means that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will also be imprisoned, as a result of slanders by a prostitute or loose women or people of that kind. Because our Prophet (pbuh) says that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is “like the Prophet Joseph (pbuh). That is in the hadiths. “…with prison or painful punishment " She also wants him to suffer pain. “…painful punishment” or “prison.” She is totally crazed by lust, animal lust. She does not love for Allah’s approval. If she loved for Allah’s approval, she would never do that. Because when she cannot assuage her lust it turns into an animal ferocity. And her behavior is unbalanced. She exhibits a totally two-faced character. That perfidious woman exhibits the character of a prostitute and is highly aggressive.

The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) said, “It was she who tried to seduce me.” The Prophet Joseph (pbuh) defends himself and denies the accusation. He moves to defend himself. He is on trial. “A witness from her people then declared…” That means there will also be witnesses against Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). There will be witnesses for and against him. "If his shirt is torn in front, she speaks the truth and he has clearly told a shameless lie.

If his shirt is torn at the back, then she has lied and he has clearly told the simple truth.”

This is the expert witness speaking. The expert’s opinion has been asked. “He [her husband] saw the shirt torn at the back and said, ‘The source of this is women’s deviousness. Without a doubt your guile is very great.” Women certainly are devious. Generally speaking, among themselves and across the world. My apologies to them, but the majority are like that. They stick together and are devious. “Your guile is very great." Women certainly are very well organized. Men not as much so. But women have the power to organize incredibly well on subjects such as this. They gossip and establish contacts. My apologies to pure, honest and devout ones, of course. "Joseph, ignore all this…” In other words, “stay away from this woman,” he says. The man is a democrat and behaves justly.

"Joseph, ignore all this.” And to his wife, he says, “and you, my wife, should ask forgiveness for your evil act.”Look, he approaches matters in an Islamic manner. “There is no doubt that you are in the wrong." “You are the one who has sinned,” he says. “Some city women said, ‘The governor’s wife solicited her slave.”They immediately start gossiping. “He’s fired her heart with love.” But it is lust here, sheer lust, not love. Love is not like that. Lust is fine and lawful if combined with love, but lust alone is very dangerous. There are some psychopathic types, for instance who strangle or kill their women. Or women who shoot their men.

"We see that she’s the one to blame.”They call the woman a sexual deviant, a wicked woman. ”But when she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them...”She sends out an invitation because they are all against her among themselves. Women cannot bear to be the subject of gossip, and always plot against it. Women are generally very well organized in such matters. I used to hear things where we lived when I was a child. They cannot bear to be gossiped about. “She sent for them and made a sumptuous meal and then she gave a knife to each of them [to peel fruit with]. She said [to Joseph], ‘Go out to them’.” She was so sure of the Prophet Joseph’s (pbuh) attractiveness that she thought no woman would be able to resist him. She thought they would feel an extraordinary passion for him. “When they saw him [his extraordinary beauty], they were amazed by him and cut their hands.”Their hands and feet trembled, they could not pay attention to anything else. “They were amazed by him and cut their hands.” Because they could not control themselves and concentrated on him alone. Because they fixed their lust on him, they ended up losing concentration and cutting their hands with those knives. "Allah preserve us!” Look how they speak like Muslims and say “Allah is unfettered, Subhanallah [Glorious is Allah].” “This is no man.” They say he cannot be human. “What can this be but a noble angel here!”They said thatsuch an attractive and impressive person could not possibly be human. They originally disregarded him, but after he was given knowledge and wisdom he took their breath away. That means that faith is the root of love and passion and attractiveness. Allah combined a great electrical energy and love and desire for him. Allah made him His instrument.

“She said, ‘You see! It’s him you blamed me for.”You accused me, but you have also been affected, she said. You have also lost control, she says, so I am innocent. So I was right all along, she says. “I tried seducing him but he refused.” Here she is telling the truth. She says that she desired him. “But he refused.” He refused to enter into sexual relations, she says. “If he does not do what I order him [to engage in sexual relations], he will be put in prison and brought low.”

What will they do against Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)? They will gather up all kinds of frauds and cheats, prostitutes and liars, to attack him, by radio and television, and humiliate him and have him imprisoned. That is what the Qur’an refers to. They will try to belittle him. They will have him imprisoned. We can see from this that Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will be imprisoned.

“He [Joseph] said, ‘My Lord, the prison is preferable to me than what they call on me to do.”I refuse to sin and engage in sexual relations, he says. They can imprison me if they like. I will suffer death or go to prison or anything for my cause. That is his logic. “Unless You turn their guile away from me, it may well be that I will fall for them and so become a man of ignorance.”

He seeks shelter in Allah. He is reluctant to engage in sexual relations. Protect me, O Lord, he says. Because, “it may well be that I will fall for them…” “His Lord replied to him and turned away from him their female guile and deviousness. He is the One Who Hears, the One Who Knows.”

Allah will thwart their guile. That means the plots against Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will also be foiled eventually. They will plot, but Allah will thwart them. “Then, after they had seen the Signs [the evidence of Joseph’s chastity], they thought that they should still imprison him for a time.”The low, base types within the state at that time set about committing that betrayal and wickedness. Because they knew he was innocent and telling the truth; yet they still imprisoned such a luminous individual as the Prophet Joseph (pbuh), because a base and treacherous spirit ruled them, because injustice prevailed, because there was no sense of justice, because justice could be bought and sold cheaply, because the judiciary at the time were wicked, because the system was a perfidious one and because a state within a state was in operation. “Two servants entered prison along with him.”